Bag holder for weighing scales



July 6, 1937. A. c. HOWARD 2,086,416

BAG HOLDER FOR WEIGHING SCALES Filed Sept. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR ALFRED C HOWARD BY Mvm ATTORNEY July 6, 1937. A. c. HOWARD BAGHOLDER FOR WEIGHING SCALES Filed Sept. 28, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3INVENTOR ALg/RED C. HOWARD ATTORNEY Patented July 6, 1937 2,986,4iti

PATET OFFICE BAG HOLDER F WEIGHENG SCALES Alfred 0. Howard, liieioit,Wia, assignor to E. and T. Fairbanks and Company, St. Johnsbury,

Vt, a corporation of Vermont Application September 28, 1934, Serial No.745,881

i Ciairns.

This invention relates to improvements in bag holders, and moreparticularly to bag holders which are adapted to cooperate with weighingscales.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficientbag holder, which is operatively connected to a scale and is adapted tobe quickly adjusted to receive and hold a bag and easily and rapidlyoperated.

Another object is to provide a movable bag clamping ring undergravitational control for holding the bag securely on the bag holderwhile being filled and weighed.

Another object is to provide actuating means for lowering and raisingthe bag clamping ring in securing a bag on the bag holder and releasingit therefrom.

Another object is to provide pedal operated control means adapted tooperate the clamping ring actuating means, whereby the clamping ring maybe easily raised to release the bag when the filled bag has reached thepredetermined weight, as well as lowered in order to secure the bag inposition on the bag holder.

Another object is to provide the bag holder with attaching means topermit ready attachment of the mouth of the bag to the bag holder.

Still another object is to provide means for guiding to the platform anybags that may drop offside from the bag holder, when released therefrom.

In order that the nature of the invention may be fully understood, Ihave shown a preferred embodiment of the invention in the accompanyingdrawings, in which,

Figure 1 is an isometric View of a preferred form of my invention,showing particularly the bag holder with the bag clamping ring and itsoperating arms in their-operative position and illustrated as applied toa scale.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, partly insection, on the line 22 of Fig. 1, showing the bag holder in itssupporting frame and the bag clamping ring with its operating arms andassociated mechanism in its operative position.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view on the line 33 of Fig. 2, showing the bagholder with the bag clamping ring and the operating arms in their raisedor inoperative position, as well as their relative operative and loweredposition in dotted outline.

In the drawings I designates a frame struc ture embodied in the formshown in a beam housing or cabinet in the upper part of which a weighbeam 2 and balance beam 3 are mounted, the cabinet 5 being attached to abase plate 4. The weigh beam 2 is provided with a trig or beam lock 5together with graduations indicating pounds and ounces respectively. Thebeam 2% provides a combined balance for balancing the dead load of thescale operating parts and the tare weight of the bag being weighed.Extending upwardly from the housing 5 are two spaced upright posts 3, towhich are secured longitudinally extending spaced arms '5, carrying ontheir free ends spaced upright supports 8 provided with opposed bearingblocks 9. Pivotally mounted on the upright supports 8 is a rectangularframe it, consisting of spaced side plates H and tubular connectingmembers lid and i2?) attached to the side plates, the member i217 beingdetachable and secured by cap screws to cross-plates iilc fastenedinside the member i212. On the inner side of the side plates i! (Fig. 2)

there are mounted therein transverse opposed f knife-edge pivots it,which are seated in the bearing blocks 9 carried by the upright supports8. An extension arm l4 serving as a lever is welded to the inner end ofthe connecting member of the frame it and is operatively connected tothe weighing mechanism by means of an auxiliary arm i5 bolted theretoand carrying at its free end a transverse knife-edge pivot it, uponwhich is mounted a clevis ll, having connected thereto the upper end ofa connecting link is? likewise connected at its lower end to a clevisiii mounted on a knife-edge pivot 2i! carried at the inner end of thebalance beam 3. The balance beam 3 is angularly disposed and isfulcrumed on a knife-edge pivot 2i carrying a clevis 22, which isconnected to. a hook 23 fixedly mounted in the shelf 24 of the beamchamber 25 and forming a fulcrum for the beam 3. The inner end of thebalance beam 3 is likewise provided with a knife-edge pivot connected bya clevis to a link 2'5, pivotally mounted on the inner end of the weighbeam 2, which is fulcrumed on a knife-edge pivot (not shown) in the buttend of the weigh beam 2, while the beam fulcrum pivot is mounted in abracket 28 attached to the rear wall of the beam chamber 25. The outerend of the weigh beam 2 is likewise provided with a knife-edge pivotseated in a clevis 29, connected to a depending rod 35 co operating withmechanism actuating an over and under weight indicator 3! in the housingSid, whereby the balance of the load may be readily noted and variedaccordingly so as to obtain the desired quantity of material in the bag.N

By this arrangement a movement initiated by the frame it carrying theload and its lever arm i4 is readily transmitted by means of thepivotally connected link l8 to the balance beam 3 and hence to the weighbeam 2 and the over and under indicator 3|. The weigh beam 2 is providedwith two poises, A for units and B for the ounces, so as to set off thepredetermined load of the bag, while the balance beam 3 is likewiseprovided with two poises, C and D, for balancing the dead load and thetare weight of the bags.

Centrally m unted within the frame ill is a bag support (Fig. 1)provided with lateral spaced ugs 33 (Fig. 2) carrying fixed pins 34 onwhich self-aligning opposed bearing blocks 35 are pivotally mounted.Opposed, transverse lrnife-edge pivots secured in the center of the sideplates ii, extend inwardly and are seated in under side of the bearingblocks wl'i rcby bag support is pivotally mounted in the frame ill.consists The bag support 32 of an annular central section 33, from whichextends upwardly a cone shaped inlet funnel adapted to be locatedimmediately below the harge spout of the hopper (not shown) and vi -1gas a guide for grain or other material therethrough to the centralsection 3's 1 hence into the bag 39 below, as well as pro- 1 ing asuitable receptacle for the accumulation of material before it settlesor is compacted in the ba Extend -ig downwardly from the annular centraltion 3? is an outwardly flaring bag holding bell n; (Figs. 1 and 3),over which the mouth ll c the bag is placed. The cell 4%; is providedwith an upper annular collar 42, which is detachably mounted on thecentral section 3? means of opposed bayonet joints comprising radialopposed screw studs attached to the central section 8'5 and engagingL-shaped slots i l in the collar 62 of the bell ie, while lock nuts 65mounted on the screw s.;uds serve to lock the bag holding bell 42".! inposition on the central section ill. By employing this detachable meansbells of varying diameters may be used so as to accommodate bags ofdifferent sizes.

In order to hold the mouth ill of the bag se curely on the bell 4G amovable bag clamping g :35 (Figs. 1 and 3) is loosely mounted on thebell ll) and in operation is adapted to be dropped down under theinfluence of gravity upon the mouth of the bag previously placed overthe bell G5 nd press it snugly upon the bell, thus holdin the bag insuspension thereon while it is being filled and weighed.

The clamping ring is a split having an opening on the front side andprovided with opposed lateral, heavy flanges 43 reinforced andstrengthened by reinforcing ribs which flanges and ribs add to theweight of the ring and its effectiveness in securely holding the bag onthe bell. The clamping ring 45 is also provided with enlargedreinforcing ends so as to balance the ring and prevent it from tiltingand keeping it even on the mouth of the The clamping ring All. which isshown in its lowered or operative position in Figs. 1 and 2 and in itsraised or inoperative position in Fig. 3, operated by a liftingmechanism. This inism comprises two spaced lifting arms 53, each armprovided near its end with upward t lng notched guide members 5! andtheir upper edges 53 and 54 inclined and converging into a pocket 55formed therebetween. The clamping ring flanges ii! are provided. withlaterally extending lugs 56, which are adapted to be engaged by thepockets 55 in both ing and lowering the bag clamping ring,

while the inclined upper edges and 54 of the guide members iii and 52respectively serve to guide the lugs into the pockets 55, particularlyif the bag clamping ring should for any The mechanism for operating thelifting arms (Figs. 1 and 2) comprises a horizontal rod. 5 pivotallymounted in the spaced brackets 53 depending from an angle bar 59disposed in back of the support 32 and secured to the flange fill of abracket 5E mounted on the free end of rearwardly extending supportingbar iii! bolted to the upper end of the inner side wall 53 of the beamcabinet 5. The bag clamping is operated by a ioot-treadle 64 (Fig. 1),

has a vertical arm 65 attached to a crossliii pivot-ally mounted on thelower end of the inner wall 63, the cross-lever 66 being in tu npivotally connected to a vertical rod 61 a laterally inclined extension63 pivotalconnccted to the inner lifting arm 59. ot-treadle is providedwith means for ade its position vertically and laterally comprisingseries of co-operating spaced openings i5 3 ends of the pedal arm 65 andcross-lever respectively, while in the open-- ings selected and iii abolt H is inserted and the parts thus joined together in their operativeposition. Lat-ending laterally from the inner side wall oi the beamcabinet i and mounted on the base plate 4 is a bag receiving platform onwhich the filled bags are dropped after weighing, an inclined endportion 13 extending from the lower end or" the side wall 63 is adaptedto guide to the platform 72 any bags that may fall offside. The beamcabinet I is held in position on the base plate 5 between spacedretaining lugs i4, while attaching lugs 75 extend from the sides andends of the base plate 4 and are provided with openings 16, throughwhich lag screws may be inserted to-fasten the apparatus to the floor.

In operation, the beam poises A and B are set for the exact Weight ofmaterial to be loaded in each bag, after which the operator presses thefoot-treadle 64, which movement through the intervening mechanismdescribed causes the bag clamping ring 46 to be raised (Fig. 3) andpermits the operator to place the mouth of the bag around the bell 40(Fig. 1). The operator then releases the foot-treadle 64, therebypermitting the clamping ring 46 to drop down and press the bag firmly onthe bell 40 (Fig. 1) without the necessity of tucking the bag on thebell. The hopper gate (not shown) is then opened and the materialallowed to flow freely through the inlet funnel 38 and bell 40 into thebag. When the predetermined quantity of material has been poured intothe bag, as indicated by the over and under indicator 3|, the operatorpresses the foot-treadle 64, thereby actuating the lifting arms 50 andraising the clamping ring 46 from the bag, thereby releasing the filledbag and permitting it to drop upon the receiving platform 12. Thus theentire operation of filling The" and weighing a number of bags isquickly and eficiently performed.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention herein shown anddescribed is well adapted to fulfill the objects of the invention, it isto be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to theprecise form of construction herein disclosed, for it is susceptible ofmodification in various forms, all coming Within the scope of theinvention.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, bag holding means comprisinga frame structure, a bag support pivotally mounted in the said frame, apivotally mounted bag clamping ring disposed on the said bag support,provided with laterally extending, opposed lugs and adapted to dropunder the influence of gravity so as to engage and hold a bag securelyon the said bag support, pivoted spaced lifting means provided withnotched portions engaging the said lateral lugs, for guiding the saidclamping ring to the proper position to hold the bag on the bag supportand to subsequently raise the clamping ring therefrom, and means adaptedto raise and lower the said lifting means.

2. In a device of the character described, bag holding means comprisinga frame structure, a pivotally mounted bag support having an outwardlyflaring bag holding bell, a split bag clamping ring loosely mounted onthe said bell and provided with laterally extending lugs, and means forlowering the bag clamping ring to hold a bag on the bell andsubsequently raising the ring to free it from the bag including spacedlifting arms pivotally mounted and provided with notched guide membershaving inclined, converging upper edges forming a pocket therebetweenand adapted to engage the said lateral lugs of the clamping ring inguiding the lugs into and from the said pockets.

3. In a device of the character described, bag holding means comprisinga frame structure, a pivotally mounted bag support having an out- Wardlyflaring bag holding bell, a bag clamping ring loosely mounted on thesaid bell and provided with laterally extending lugs, means for loweringand raising the said clamping ring including spaced pivotally mountedlifting arms having notched portions adapted to engage the said lugs,and means for operating the said lifting arms comprising a horizontallydisposed rod, having the said lifting arms secured thereon, andpivotally mounted in fixed spaced brackets attached to the said frameand under control of pedal actuated mechanism.

l. In a device of the character described, bag holding means comprisinga frame structure, a pivotally mounted bag support having an outwardlyflaring bag holding bell, a bag clamping ring loosely mounted on thesaid bell and provided with laterally extending lugs, means for loweringand raising the said clamping ring including spaced pivotally mountedlifting arms having notched portions adapted to engage the said lugs,means for operating the said lifting arms comprising a horizontallydisposed rod, having the said lifting arms secured thereon, andpivotally mounted in fixed spaced brackets, and means for actuating thesaid lifting arms including a vertically disposed rod mounted on thesaid frame pivotally connected at its upper end to the inner lifting armand having its lower end pivotally connected to a cross arm carrying afoot-treadle adjustably mounted vertically and horizontally thereon.

ALFRED C. HOWARD.

